Estella case



(No Model.)

. 1-]. CASE.

COMBINED SHOULDER BRAOE AND BACK SUPPORT.

No. 372,601. Patented Nov. 1,,1887.

NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ESTELLA CASE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED SHOULDER-BRACE AND BACK-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,601, dated November 1 1887.

Application filed September 7, 1887. Serial No. 249,031.

7 To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ESTELLA CASE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city,in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful article of manufacture, consisting of a Combined Shoulder-Brace and Back-Support; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawi'ngs,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to a combined shoulder-braee and back-support.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a front elevation of my combined shoulder-brace and back-support with the neck cut away. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the same without the neck cut away. Fig. 3 shows a side View of the article in use. Fig. 4 shows the back view of the same in use.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the figures.

My back support or form is formed from material sufficiently rigid to give a firm support to the back and at the same time elastic enough to allow freedom of motion in that part of the body. I make my back-support of sufficicnt size to cover the entire back from the shoulders down to the waistband, with the upper part slightly concavo-convex, to conform to the rounding of the upper part of the back of the wearer. To the said back-support (shown by D in all the figures) I fasten the shoulder-straps a a at the top and extend them over the shoulders around the arms and fasten them to the part which extends under the arms, as atb b. These shoulderbraeing bands should be elastic or have elastic sections, and I provide them with suitable fastenings for adjust ing the same. The said fastenings I attach at either end of the said straps, as shown by E E or b b, or anywhere between these points, as shown by g g. I also attach to the bottom of said back-support a waistband, tofasten around the waist for holding the back-support down, and said band should be elastic, or be provided (No model.)

with elastic sections, in order to not impede respiration. 4

I prefer to make my back-support of Chinese burlap, as it is both rigid and elastic and of sufficient body to give a firm support to the back of the wearer. I prefer stockinet for a covering and lining to the same, as it is very flexibleand therefore easily fitted to the shape of the back support, although other flexible materials out on the bias serve the purpose. By adding a firm binding to the outer edge the back-form is held to its shape. I also attach cords or hands to the bracing-straps,to be carried across the front of the body of the wearer and fastened, as shown by H Hin Fig. 2, said cords or bands to hold the back-support in its place when garments are being removed from the shoulders. In Figs. 1 and 4. I show the neck out low for ladies wear when thin dresses are worn.

By combining the shoulder-bracing straps with the upper part of the back-support and the waistband with the lower part, the strain in holding back the shoulders is distributed over the entire back, while at the same time the shoulder-bracing straps hold the upper part of the back-support in place.

This device may be worn by ladies or gentlemen for a support to the back, for a shoulder-brace, or for a back-form to b"idge over the hollow between the shoulders and conceal the bony structure of the back.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The improved combined shoulder-brace and back-support herein described, consisting of the portion D, of suitable material,adapted to fit and cover the back only, and provided with yielding shouldcr-straps and a waistband,- all substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described shoulder-brace and back-support, consisting of the back portion D, of suitable material, and provided with yielding shoulder-straps and front or breast straps, all substantially as set forth.

ESTELLA CASE.

\Vi t nesses:

E. W. B. PHILLIP, DANIEL SooTT. 

